Pipe-laying apparatus



(No Model.)

A. WILBUR. PE- LAYING APPARATUS.

- No. 375,404. Patented Dec. 27, 1887;

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED WILBUR, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIPE-LAYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,404, dated December 27, 1887.

Serial No. 230,526. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED WILBUR, of

Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pipe-Laying Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an apparatus designed for use in laying gas or water pipes across rivers and streams.

The distinguishing feature of the invention lies in a the employment of a sectional form of staging for the pipes, combined with suitable supporting means for the said sectional staging, from which combination advantageous results arise, as hereinafter explained.

The object of my invention is to produce a staging which, while having the advantage of great length, will yet be adapted to be easily handled and to be changed at will to suit different widths oradepths of stream or to meet the requirements of the work when the inshore-pipe is being laid.

The invention consists of two scows or boats placed side by side at a slight distance apart and connected by suitable bridge-pieces extending between them, of a staging for sup: porting the pipe, composed of detachable sections, and of means for supporting the staging from the boats.

Theinvention consists,also,in the means for securing one section tothe other, and in devices whereby said sections are detached.

The various details of arrangement andconstruction which conduce to the successful embodiment of my ideas also form a part of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the apparatus in place, the staging being lowered at one end,as in the act of laying pipe. Fig. 2 represents an end View of the scows, and Figs. 3 and 4 show details of construction.

In the drawings, A B represent the boats, which may be of flat bottom and any style suitable for the purpose. About midway of their length a bridge, b n, is secured, extending between the two and securing them together. Upon the top of this bridge b a, and centrally between the boats, is supported a beam or girder, 0, extending from front to rear and projecting beyond the boat at either end. A central post, a, extends upwardly from the girder, and at its upper end is connected with the girder ends by suitable stay-- rods, 2 2. From the ends of the boats additional brackets or bridge-pipes, c c,are secured, which also serve to support the girder. This constitutes the entire frame-work of the apparatus. length, and the girder extends about twenty feet beyond the ends at front and rear. The joints of the supporting'frame are so formed that lateral adjustment is allowed,in order that the space between the boats may be regulated to suit different widths of staging.

The staging D for the pipe is composed of any suitable buoyant material, and is sectional in form. I have shown five sections in the drawings; but more or less may be used, as may be expedient. Each is about twenty feet in length, and is detachably connected to the adjoining section or sections in a manner hereinafter described. Hooks3 3aresecured upon each side of thesections near theirlower ends, and these are engaged with bails 4 4, carried by the operating-ropes 5 5, which pass over suitable pulleys within reach of the attendants. These bails and operating-ropes are arranged along the length of the girder and serve to support the stage in proper position, those toward the section 5 being lowered in proper relation to each other, so that the stage will present a long inclined surface down which the pipe may slide as the boat is moved across the stream. The section 1 may be retained in a substantially level position; or it may be conformed to the inclination of the other sections. The end of this section does not'extend beyond the end of the girder, and upon it the pipe sections may be, joined together.

In order that the movement of the boat will be imparted to the staging, I employ strong push rods or beams E, projecting from the boat and attached to the section 1 by means of staples or bolts. These also serve to prevent any longitudinal displacement of the staging in either direction. The joint between the sections consists of the following combination of devices. The ends of the sections are brought The. boat is preferably forty feet insquarely together. Spring-catches c, Fig. 3, are secured to the end of one section, adapted to engage with holes in a plate or lip secured to the adjacent section. Extending under the spring-catches is a small shaft, f, which carries suitable studs oreams in line with the catches. An arm upon the outer end of the shaft is operated by acord extending up into the boat. By pulling upon the rope the arm is raised and the cams or studs, engaging with the catches, cause them to be disengaged from the adjacent section,when the detached section may be raised to the surface of the water by continued pulling upon the cord. This action of detaching the seetionstakes place when the boat has reached the opposite shore, in order that the inshore pipe-sections may be properly laid. No. 5 is the first one detached, and this having been raised section 4 is lowered by means of the bail until its lower end touches the bottom and the section of the pipe is positioned. The bail when farther lowered will release itself from the hooks, and may then be lifted out of the way. No. 4 may be then detached and the next section lowered to position the pipe, and the same operation as above is repeated until the pipe is laid to the bank. In laying the last section of the pipe the first section of staging may be removed, and the pipe suspended by the bail from the end of the girder.

I do not limit myself to the number of sections, nor the size thereof, as they may be varied to suit different requirements.

By thus employing a stage composed of sections I am enabled to present a long gradual incline down which the pipe may move, and the joints are therefore subjected to little or no strain or movement while being deposited on the bed of the stream. I prefer to use flexible packing for thejoints, but do not wish to limit myself in this respect. In cases where it is desired to lay the pipe across small streams the staging may be adjusted to reach from bank to bank, and after providing suitable elbows or upwardly-extending pipe -sections the whole staging, with pipe, may be lowered at one operation. In this case the joints may be rigid. The sections may be added or removed, to suit deeper or shallower streams. The upper surface of the staging is concaved, as atj, Fig. 4, so that there will be no liability of the pipe rolling from side to side.

As shown in Fig. 2, the side supportingposts of the frame are connected by crosspiece a, the connection being of a pivotal character. Braces are secured to the side posts, and, extending obliquely, they passl through the cross-piece, being held by suitable nuts, as shown. From this construction it will be seen that the boats may be set at a greater or less distance apart, as desired.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a pipe-laying apparatus, and in combination, boats carrying a supporting-frame, and a staging supported thereby composed of sections placed end to end and detaehabl y connected, substantially as described.

2. In combination, boats carrying a supporting-frame, a staging composed of sections placed end to end, the hooks, the bails and operating-ropes, the detachable connections between the sections, and the operating-ropes therefor, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the sections having spring-catches adapted to engage and hold the adjoining sections, the shafts with the studs or cams for releasing said spring-catches, the arms on the shafts, and the operating-cords, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the beats, the staging, and the girder suitably supported and extending beyond the boats at either end, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the boats, the staging, the girder, and the bridges or the pieces connecting the boats and supporting the girder, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the boats, the staging, and the frame on the boats for supporting said staging, said frame being adapted to have slight rocking movement, substantially as described.

7. In combination, the beats, the supporting-frame, the staging, and pushers or beams E, extending from the boats to the staging, substantially as described.

8. In the described apparatus, the staging having its upper surface concaved, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the scows, the frame for supporting the staging, the said frame being adapted to permit lateral adjustment of the scows, substantially as described.

10. In combination, the scows, the supporting'framc for the staging, consisting of the side posts and the cross-pieces pi votally connected, and the adjustable braces, substantially as described.

In testimony whercofI. have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

A LFRED W ILBUI.

Witnesses:

CLARENCE BURLEIGH, A. D. WILKIN. 

